Do it yourself

Does anyone have a template or pattern to making an Under the bed storage drawes or anything like that. I don't want to get boxes because I want to make them my own height. I have a doublebed and I would like to make the underbed storage unit about a foot high from the floor. I don't want it on casters. What material would I use for this and what kinds of things would I need to make drawers and doors. Would I have to make supports on the sides of the box that is around the bottom of the bed and would I also have to make slats to hold the boxsprings for support? Thanks, Debbie Allen

Hi y'all! My name is Elaine and I live in Texas. I've been on this loop for awhile, but haven't had a chance to formally introduce myself. I'm a mom to 2 and have been married for 10+ years. I never cared much about home improvement, but then I saw Trading Spaces and it was all over...Now my poor husband cringes when I tell him I'm at Home Depot. He knows it means more projects! Anyway... We are really working towards a decision on redoing our yucky floor. It looks like laminate will be the best choice for us since I don't want to have sledgehammer the exisiting ceramic tile in the hallway. The laminate floors would "float" over the exisiting floor. Here's the part where I need imput: we're thinking about installing it ourselves. So my question is have any of you ever installed laminate yourself and if so what would you advise? Or advise against? -Elaine

Hi Jeff, I think your problem may be with the instructions. I assmue these are the same fans as we get here in Belgium. I reckon there is one heck of a large factory in China churning these out for all the world. Anyway go back to your instructions and make sure you are not following the European wiring plan. As Dales mentioned he was not familiar with those colour wires , but they ARE the European colours. I nearly made the same mistake. I wired up 4 upstairs in the bedrooms last year. Luckily I have ceiling hooks , so its easier. Not the most pleasant job though is it ? Heavy things. Best of luck. Kevin

I am a first time home owner, and I don't know much about home repair. Basically, over the weekend I was going to do some early spring cleaning outside. So I went to turn on the water from the side of the house. First thing I notice at the faucet was that the plastic cap on top of the faucet popped up. I pushed it back in and then turn on the water. Water started flow through the top as well as the mouth of the faucet. I would like to know how I can fix this, can I just get a cap to replace it or the entire fixture needs to be replaced. I believe the problem is caused by me failing to disconnect the garden hose from the water faucet outside over the winter. Thanks in advance.

I put a deck in about ten years ago using seandard construction techniques. I poured a pier about 1 X 1 X 2 feet clyinder. Normally around here, Central Pennsylvania, 14 " will get you below the frost line. This winter was hard on outdoor structures. The freeze went much deeper than normal. The piers popped up. A lot of work, but I got to it and tore the deck down and dug out the peirs. It has been rainy this spring and I had to wait for the work area to be dry enough to work in. Today I pulled half of the concrete peirs out of the ground. To my surprise, water filled the holes to within a foot of the top of the hole. Each of my peirs was 24" or more and should have with stood the freeze, but it did not. Not what do I do? Any suggestions for supporting the deck when the ground water level seems to vary? How should I construct the new piers? Thanks, Gary

I also have a tile question. The counter tops in my kitchen have discolored. I was thinking of putting tile over them. Can tile over formica counter tops. I was planning using the small tile and tiling the sides as well. Can you tell me if that is a good idea or a bad one? If it is a bad one what would you suggest I do. Thank you, Jill

Has anyone had firsthand experience with getting rid of large amounts of mold in a house? My husband and I went and looked at a house for sale today, and it's a pretty severe fixer, with definite mold issues. I could actually see mold high up on the wall on the outside of the house, and the interior of the house just reeked of it, although I didn't actually see any. (The people who live there have not helped matters, since their hygiene leaves quite a bit to be desired, and every window in the house was shut tight on a beautiful spring day.) I wouldn't be interested in the property at all except that it is on a lovely little chunk of land (0.92 acres) which is like gold here in Sonoma County, and the asking price is 350,000 -- an amazing amount by other standards but dirt cheap around here. So I talked to a couple of knowledgeable people in this area who both suggested that a likely culprit for the cause of the mold is standing water under the house. (The land is flat and the water table is high.) They suggested digging drains to a sump pump pit, and putting in a vapor barrier under the house; also possibly french drains (hmm, would those be Freedom drains now? :) around the perimeter of hte house. Then for the actual mold itself, they suggested scrubbing down the ENTIRE house -- walls, ceilings, floors -- with a bleach solution, letting that dry, and sealing the drywall with an oil-based paint. We could then paint with latex on top of the oil paint. This would hopefully settle any lead paint issues too since the house was built in 1965. Here's my question: Has anyone here successfully gotten rid of large amounts of mold in a house? My husband and I are both allergic to mold spores, so we would have to get RID of it to live in the house without being sick all the time. We could afford to live in our present place for about a month while we (or rather, hired workmen) worked on the place, but that's about the longest we could go without moving in. Anyway, if you have had success in getting rid of a severe mold infestation, I'd really like to hear what you did! Also, if you have knowledge of other mold-related issues, please share that. I guess we should just pull the plug on this project right now to be on the safe side ... but that land is just so darned tempting. It is just the right size and has some very nice views. Also the house is the official Crappy House of the neighborhood, so we would not be over-improving it to fix it all up. (There are also "minor matters" like putting in all new windows, new siding, etc.) We are going to look at the house again tomorrow, so if you have input, I'd love to hear it! Thank you! Ann

Im a newbie so excuse me for some of these questions. Okay, I had put a chain and a lock on my fence to keep certain kids from getting into my back yard. Well they cut the chain off. My questions are... 1. What's better a "zinc plated" chain or a "galvanized" chain? 2. What kind of chain cannot be cut with a bolt, chain or side cutter? 3. What's better, a "high test" chain or a "proof coil" chain? 4. per linear feet means what? 5. The difference between 3/16 chain and 5/16 chain would be what? (Im shopping online for this, that's why I asked.) 6. And does home depot carry it? Thanks in advance

I saw a show do A countertop using poly resin. Anyone seen this? Is it durable? Is it expensive? Any thoughts? Corissa

Due to the lack of air conditioning the aromas of summer would escape onto main street and there mingle with the other scents that were indigenous to a given locality. It might be the tantalizing smells of hot popcorn and fresh roasted peanuts from the local dime store that would consort with the rich fragrance of crushed and heated soybeans that were in the process of having their oils extracted at the local mill. Kressgies, McCelans, and Woolworth are all but memories now that belong to a generation rapidly speeding toward octogenarianism, but Oh those counters that were strewn with the affordable dreams of youth, fifty cent pocket knives, and a real Westclock pocket watch for a dollar, not to mention pressed glass dishes and granite coated cookware for the young housewife. The leather shop would spew forth the scents of new leather and the dyes associated with the production of hand tooled boots and saddles. A small girl or boy could stand for hours and watch a sheet of cowhide being slowly transformed one hammer blow at a time into a beautiful saddle that would be festooned with gleaming copper rivets and/or sterling silver ornaments. Wondrous hours would be spent at play in the days to follow, pretending that the old broom stick they were riding was a spirited quarter horse that carried them into imaginary lands seated on that same beautiful saddle. The local edifice of ladies fashion with its manikins draped in genuine imitation silks and satins or displaying some sample of the latest style while assuming a pose that no real person could possibly imitate, also sent forth into the mix its perfume of cottons stiff with the sizing that was added to give them a false feel of quality which would be discarded in the water of their first introduction to the family washing-machine. They would also have these little sample bottles and their colored rubber ball atomizers filled with the latest perfumes, just waiting to be tested by the lonesome at heart in the endless quest to render themselves appealing to the men of the community. By late afternoon of a day of heavy sampling, these heavy perfumes would seem to cling to ones clothes for several blocks after just passing by the screen covered entrance. Heaven forbid that a young aspiring lad of 12 should ever be caught entering such a place, why a fellows reputation could be ruined by such an event. Hardware stores were caverns of intrigue and the foundations of imagination for those who might yearn to become a mechanic, carpenter or plumber. There were bins filled with every means of fastening two items together that could be imagined, and a few that defied explanation. The latest in tools were displayed in their gleaming new coat of chrome, alongside Diston's finest saws with their solid black walnut handles. Wood planes, chisels, self retracting tape measures, and that wonderful display of bone handled pocket knives far out of reach of the average small boys budget. The well oiled harness, bridles, and collars hung ready to be purchased and given the opportunity to have the sweet smell of a draft horses sweat added to their aroma of new leather. Replacement lenses for now ancient autos could be purchased and ground to fit, and the latest in fine lubricants were also offered for everything from the sewing machine to the tractor. Hemp rope impregnated with pine oil and new chain coated with a thin coat of machine oil to prevent rust each added to the bouquet that was to linger in the mind of a small boy to enhance his later years. Butcher shops are another memory of the past but they too were part and parcel of that era we sometimes refer to as "The Good Old Days." The heavy, knife and cleaver scared maple butcher block with it top made irregular from the many cleanings with a sharp scraper used to remove the build up of fat and tallow. Memories of a ten cent soup bone supposedly for a well deserving family dog, but everyone knew it would be added to a liberal pot of beans and consumed by the family that evening, and so the compassionate butcher would leave a bit more meat hanging to the knuckle, while Fido might get a bit of any remaining juice poured over a crust of stale bread. Some would take home a box of bone meal from the band saw to be put it in the garden or added to potted plants as a primitive but very effective fertilizer. "Waste not want not," was the slogan of the day, and while many of us may have wanted it was not usually because of waste. Small town grocery stores took on many different formats, and might vary from little more that a canned and dry goods outlet to a complete trading post atmosphere. It was not uncommon to find rows of fifteen and thirty dozen egg crates lining the front of the store on a Saturday evening, each with its own attached tag stating the quantity and quality of its earlier contents and the cash or credit due the seller. Some doubled as the local creamery and either collected and purchased the cream for local processing and consumption or passed it on to other areas where it was sterilized and turned into butter, ice-cream and other dairy products. The only cash that was available for the evenings shopping was often that credit that was on the graders ticket, and Oh the chagrin when there were deductions for too many small or irregular shaped eggs, or a low butter fat yield on the cream because some hapless youngster had turned the separator crank too fast. Do It Yourself or Do Without was all many could afford during "The Good Old Days" but we were all in the same boat so none of us thought ourselves really poor, and we did not have the advantage of nightly Sitcoms to show us how good others supposedly had it. To Be Continued: Dale in the Flat Lands

Dewalt Clipped head nials mean just that. the head of the nail is not completely round, a small part of the head has been clipped off giving the head of the nail a "D" shape if you will. I believe it's done that way at it allows you to carry more nails in a smaller space as the nails are stuck right against each other. Which type of nails used will vary buy nailer manufacturer, I've only used Nailers that shoot clipped head nails so I don't know if there is any performance difference, but I tend to doubt it. more pricey, but the mobility appeals to me. I've used both variants of Paslodes "cordless" nailers. the first series they came out with about six years ago was black, and complete garbage. The newer orange ones work pretty good. If you don't already own a compressor etc, I think the Paslodes would be a pretty good deal. Of course if you need a framing nailer, a trim nailer, and a stapler the a compressor driven unit might be a better buy in the long run. I'm a loyal DeWalt customer myself but I'd have to think before I bought one of their nailers. They're compressors are subbed out through Emglo, replace the DeWalt sticker with the original Emglo sticker, and you save a few bucks. I don't know if this is the case with the nailers or not. Paslode nailers are the most widely used I've seen, the ones ive used, with the exception of their first cordless nailer, aren't bad. We had a Stanley-Bostitch we were going to try yesterday, but we broke the compressor so YMMV on those, I've yet to buy anything from that company and regret it. If you do go with the DeWalt please post a review, I would be curious to see how it does.

Hi, I just had my electrical pane replaced and now I've got some repair work to do on the stucco walls. I have a couple of questions: 1. Anybody have general stucco tips? 2. If there are large holes (~4-5" diameter) with nothing behind them and no support - can I build up stucco for this, or should I somehow find a way to reinforce it first? Any help appreciated!! Cheers, Mike

Hello all. I am new here and need some quick advice. We just bought a home and will be moving in next week. I love the house except for one feature. The master bedroom has one entire wall that is mirror. How do I get it off? It appears to be 3 sheets of high quality mirror, 2 are the size of regular plywood and the center piece is wider.There are no apparant attachments so I am thinking it may be glued on. We live in earthquake country and I do not relish an entire wall of glass over my head if a big one hit. We thought of hitting it with a sledge hammer but that seems messy and dangerous....anyone have some helpful ideas? Thanks, Cathy

I am building this almost like a shed but it will be insulated and will be holding about 75 tropical fish tanks. I need to keep the room temperature around 75 degrees at all times. What is the best way of heating it? Not too expensive either because this is just my hobby and all the money I make selling the fish goes right back into buying more fish, food, or equipment. It will have a sink with running water, hot water heater & electricity.

Thank you, Kevin, for a very kind and well-thought out reply about the war situation to this list. I think that there a great many more Americans that share your sentiments (myself included) than it must often seem. Thanks again, and let's hope that these storm clouds pass soon with as little death and destruction as possible for all concerned. Mike

Thanks all, I humbly admit that after further research that my town does in fact allow the use of White PVC. Who would have believed that! Thanks, Jim

Could anyone advise me of a good airless sprayer, so that I can paint with epoxy, latex, oil based paints. I can't afford the best out there, but I don't want the cheapest model either. Can anyone advise me of a brand that is reliable and fairly maintenance free that will spray different kinds of paint. Any advice anyone can give me would be appreciated.

Hi, I would like to thank all of you for sharing your different perspectives of the world's troubled times. I am in the US and I particularly enjoyed reading the point of views from list members in other countries. It is very rare that I get to hear your views first hand. Most of what we hear about the opinions in other countries may have been distorted or mis-interpeted by the media in their attempts to get the best ratings.

I didn't intend to post my message that quick. My finger slipped. I would also like to thank those of you who stuck to the list related topics. I needed the reality check every now and then. I think there is one item that we have in common....and that is a big heart. Thank you again. Anne in Texas, USA

Hi all, I want to paint white PVC window frames, to make them matching with the general appearance of my country style house. Which kind of paint I can use for it? Is there a special paint for PVC, or can I use regular paints for wood? Thanks in advance for help. Selcuk

I've not been able to find a definite guide for pipe sizing. As far as I can tell 1" should be enough for the roughly 190000 BTU I use. But, the house had a 11/2 inch line installed. The previous "Rocket scientist" Repaired the line with white PVC. So I need to do something quick! Jim

Hi Trinity and All, I hope, and it was not my intention, to offend, or "slam" anyone at all for expressing their opinions on the war. I am sorry Trinity if you did feel that someone was being "slammed". If someone did feel like they were being slammed then maybe it was due to my poor choice of words and I apologize. I should not have used the word, "bickering" and probably should have used the word, discussion. Everyone has the right to their opinions even if they differ. We all come from different backgrounds and have had different life experiences that have molded our thoughts and opinions. There really is no right or wrong. I am really amazed that this list is allowing the discussion of off-topic subjects and I really applaud it for doing so. I think that many of us need a place to discuss our opinion and this is really terrific. I myself usually do not submit opinions for fear of being "slammed", rejected, shot down etc. but this time I decided to take the chance. Maybe if some of you know what my background is, then you will understand why I am so concerned over the welfare of our troops and their families particularly when they return from active duty in the war. I was at home when 911 took place and I saw it unfold as it happen in real-time as many others did. What I didn't realize at the time, is that my one and only sister, who resides in another state, would be flown into the twin tower area by the government as a member of a team to perform the recovery processing procedures related to the remains of the deceased. These individuals also, sometimes have the responsibility of notifying the families that their loved one is deceased. I am at a loss for words right now when I try to explain to everyone on the list the psychological impact that these horrible tasks has had on my sister and the members of our family. Someone has to do it. It takes a special kind of person to take on the recovery task and it has required my parents, myself, and other members of the family to make major adjustments in our lives so that my sister can continue to prepare herself and help others in a time of crisis like 911. The biggest problem we have had is that we do/did not know what to do when she returned home and had a difficult time adjusting to life as normal like it was before she left. She was a changed person when she came back and I don't think she was able to acknowledge how much the experience had affected her. Although I did not loose anyone close to me in the disaster, I began to feel that I had lost many friends. Through my sister's daily emails and phone calls I got to hear first hand, see and read about the aftermath of the clean up for months to come. My sister was assigned the responsibility of taking care of the psychological needs of her team which consisted of 30 individuals that had to handle and process the the remains of those that lost their lives on 911. She was the one who was there for these individuals to keep a check on each individual's psychological state and to listen and help them through their difficult tasks. I don't think there was anyone there to help her when she felt overwhelmed by what she was seeing first hand and I don't really think she started to process mentally everything she saw until she returned home. Her returning home has had a tremendous impact on the immediate family and I am not sure we will ever fully recover from its impact. One of the difficulties that has hit us hard is that the Twin Tower Area was classified as a "crime scene" and the recovery individuals cannot discuss much of what they have seen. There wasn't any assistance available for her and her team when they returned home. We have moved on in the best way we know how. In the future the government has promised additional counselors to help the counselors when they are overwhelmed. Something is better than nothing. Our guys and ladies who are fighting for our country will be traumatized by what they have seen and have had to do. The actual impact on these individuals may not show up until sometime after they have returned home. Their memories may come back to haunt them and I just hope and pray that we can be there and will know what to do to help them. I do not want to turn our backs to them and tell them it is their problem. They may need care packages while they are overseas and they and their families will need even more help of a different kind when they return. or sadly if they do not return in the same condition that they departed in. It might be that we just need to help mow the lawn on an occasion or trim their hedge or invite them out to do something fun that will take their minds off their memories. Maybe we will just need to sit and listen...regardless of how horrible the memories are.. I think it is called PTSS..Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I kind of felt at least for myself that I needed to look to the future and prepare for to what is yet to come. We need to be more prepared than we were when the Vietnam Veterans returned home. Even with my recent experience I am not sure I will have all the answers but I do know that if there is a terrorist attack in the state that my sister lives in, I will have an opportunity to test what I have learned. I don't see my sister often, but just visiting via the phone has presented it own problems. My sister will be the first call out person and the "manager" of the crisis should a terrorist attack take place in her half of her state. She knows how to take control of a crisis situation and make order out of it. She can think when other people freeze up. She will get people's attention and get them doing what they should be doing to help the situation and save lives. She has the experience and training and now does this type of thing for local agencies and corporations on a full time basis. She has been traveling to several other states at their request to advise them on how to prepare for crisis situations such as a terrorist attack. It was not my intention to offend individuals for speaking their mind. My intent was to make everyone a ware of some of the problems ahead which we have not handled very well in the past. I was hoping that we could do more for those individuals who were fighting for us so we can continue to have the privilege of speaking our minds without fear of punishment. They are taking a huge risk for us. Like I said before, we are in the war now and that decision is a done deal. We cannot turn the clock back and although some of us may not have made this choice to go to war, we are stuck with this decision. Do we all need to pull together in spite of our differences of opinion to figure out how we are going to get through it? Maybe so... Are we capable of doing this? Anne in Texas

Hi folks, Not much to report on the DIY front. As the weather warms up , I have been stepping outside in the ' garden '. Thats if you can call 10 acres of grass a garden. I am busy working on building chicken runs. I have 60 young ones coming soon. I am trying to figure a way of free ranging some Rabbits. I hate them cooped up in little cages. Trouble is they have a habit of digging out.... I read the comments about the war with interest. In my opinion there are few other countries on this planet with the sense of pride that the USA has. Its almost unique I supported the first Iraq war. I am also like the HUGE amount of Belgians, grateful for the assistance that America gave Europe last century. The loss of life was immense , fighting a war far from home , for our freedom. Despite what some American press say about Belgium and France , we do not have short memories. Locals here remember hiding troops from the nazis for weeks on end. Also Americans generally are welcomed here despite these difficult times. It is true to say that there is a majority that feel this war is somehow , not right. I feel this way as well. There is no doubt in my mind that Hussein is a terrible despot. On this I agree 100%. However I still feel somehow disturbed by the course of action America and my country , England has taken. I was personally not convinced by Mr Bush or Mr Blair , despite the fact that I looked at the situation with an open mind. I felt that differences between USA and the EU should have been sorted out first. Then a far far larger group should have gone in to Iraq to track down any WMD. The UN officials found little , however Iraq is a big country. Alas it was not to be. After 13 years of embargo , whats another few months ?? Support for your soldiers and President remains solid , 70% or so , I hear. However you must be aware of the fact that the vast majority of countries in this world , do NOT agree with this war.For whatever reasons , personal self interest , fear etc etc. France has been picked out as it spoke openly and directly and used its right of veto. Your Presidents judgement on this situation may well be right , however it might not be the case. I pray that your fellow county men and women come home SSS.........safe,sound and soon. I think in particular of Dales children. I also hope that the casulties are low on both sides. After all an Iraq soldier has a family as well...maybe a DIY Dad...... Even though I do not agree with this war , I can understand your irritation with anti war folk. Now is the time to rally behind your soldiers. They have little to say about this situation. We have to hope and pray that they will do their job quickly and get back home. For a soldier to feel that he or she is not supported by the general public must be an awful thing. I also hope that this conflict does not mushroom further afield. Iran springs to mind. I have been allowed to use my freedom of 'speech ' here today , due in no small part to the actions and bravery of American soldiers in WW11. I will not forget that. Nor must you all forget that we here in Europe have opinions that can differ from yours. To hold up freedom of speech and democracy , our opinions MUST be freely aired. Current medi coverage in the USA can portray us in a very bad light. I have personally taken offence to some of these comments. Gutter press and scummy reporters hell bent on rating only help neither you or me. That also applies to some areas of European media , that gives the USA a bad name. I feel a whole review of press activites is long overdue , but thats another subject. The sad thing is that a huge amount of Americans originate from Europe. What a shame to sour this relationship. There will be a lot of fences to mend. My best wishes to you all........whatever side of the DIY fence you are on. My comments above should in no way be considered anti American ,for I am not. I simply show you another viewpoint from this side of the pond. Kevin Belgium

It has occurred to me that many if not most of the participants on these lists are too young to have known the joys of "The Good Old Days." I would like to take a moment and enumerate a few of the sounds and smells that are held in hidden and oft visited crevasses of the minds of some of us older folk. I had the privilege of having been born in a Santa Fe railroad company house that sat right next to the track in a very small Eastern Kansas town of the mid to late 30's. Steam engines were still common and memories of the eerie sounds of an engines whistle in the dead of night still comfort me to this day. Each train that passed through, and there were many, left in its wake the sweet acrid odor of the coal that fed the hungry flame in the belly of the beast. Our house was surrounded by wooden plank sidewalks that did funny things to the drops of rain that would fall outside my bedroom window during a spring nights down pour, they didn't pitter patter but landed with an audible splat. For you see, we did not have air conditioning in those days and so we heard and filed away for future use the memories of the sounds and smells of a spring rain. Flashing lightening and rolling thunder did not fill our hearts with the fears of today that the television, computer or any one of a dozen other modern necessities would be cremated by a sudden strike. Instead, these were the instruments of a supernatural orchestra that lulled us into ever deeper slumber, for even though the windows were closed against the rain, there were no storm windows to completely muffle outside sounds. Spring lawns, such as they were, a blaze with all manner of wild flowers being given the full attention of bees and insects, for there were no pesticides or herbicides to kill bugs and weeds. Lawns were kept trimmed either by the pushing of a rusty reel type mower or the hungry beaks of a few of the family ducks and chickens. Yes, my children, people in town had chickens and since they fed on the bugs from the lawn and disposed of the garbage, eggs were nearly free during the spring and summer months. It was not uncommon in small towns to find a few cows and horses kept in back yard sheds as well. I can see already the scrunched up noses of a few, but it is only the smells that one is unaccustomed to that are found to be offensive. This reminds me of one of the writings of Pearl Buck when she tells of going to a theater in the U.S. after having lived in China for so many years, and becoming physically ill from the body odors of those around her because they had been accustomed to eating copious amounts of meat, a rarity in China. She said, that after a few months of her return to a diet that contained meat the odors were no longer noticed. We could tell who had pulled into the drive by the sound of their car and the way the door slammed, now you can hardly hear a car run, and if you could they'd make you have it repaired. The gurgle-chug of the Model T was not a sound heard only in a parade but the song of main street on Saturday night. Oh yes, those wonderful Saturday nights when all the farm wives would put on their best "feed sack print" dress and having applied a little face powder, a dash or rouge and a liberal splash of some dime store toilet water perfume stand around in clumps exchanging the joys and trials of the previous week. To a small boy or girl this was a real night out on the town, and just maybe a penny sack of candy or a nickel ice cream cone. The meat market, grocery, dry goods, hardware, drug, barbershop and dime stores each had their own identifying sounds and smells, but these will have to wail for another evening. To be Continued: Dale in the Flat Lands

with kudos to dale in kansas here is something that captures my thoughts pretty good on this whole situation. phil in missouri Fightin' Side Of Me: Merle Haggard. Written by Merle Haggard. (© Tree Publishing Company.) From "Songs I'll Always Sing", © 1976, Capitol Records. I hear people talkin' bad, About the way we have to live here in this country, Harpin' on the wars we fight, An' gripin' 'bout the way things oughta be. An' I don't mind 'em switchin' sides, An' standin' up for things they believe in. When they're runnin' down my country, man, They're walkin' on the fightin' side of me. Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me. Runnin' down the way of life, Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep. If you don't love it, leave it: Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'. If you're runnin' down my country, man, You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me. I read about some squirrely guy, Who claims, he just don't believe in fightin'. An' I wonder just how long, The rest of us can count on bein' free. They love our milk an' honey, But they preach about some other way of livin'. When they're runnin' down my country, hoss, They're walkin' on the fightin' side of me. Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me. Runnin' down the way of life, Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep. If you don't love it, leave it: Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'. If you're runnin' down my country, man, You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me. Yeah, walkin' on the fightin' side of me. Runnin' down the way of life, Our fightin' men have fought and died to keep. If you don't love it, leave it: Let this song I'm singin' be a warnin'. If you're runnin' down my country, man, You're walkin' on the fightin' side of me.

Hi all, We are gutting our 2nd floor main bath, and have found something unexpected - a concrete floor. It's about 2-3 inches thick and has the original small tiles inset into it. Portions of it have been busted out to accomodate plumbing, but the majority of it remains. I can't figure out how they poured it - it seems to be "floating" on top of the floor joists. I'd really like to remove it - most of the bathroom fixtures will be moved to a different location, thus a lot of plumbing work. I'm thinking I could rent a small electric jackhammer, but I'm wondering what the vibration will do to the house or the supporting joists. Anyone ever run into anything like this before? The other option is to open up the ceiling below and run the pipes that way, creating small holes in the concrete to bring the pipes up when needed. Suggestions? Thanks, Shane

Well today was a fairly educational day for me. The template paper that I was assured would be in my roll of linoleum wasn't. Fortunaly, I was able to improvise. But I did learn (again) that I sometime attack projects to fast and a little more patience will help avoid disaters like gluing myself and my partner onto the floor. And just because I can "Piece work" certain task with great speed and efficiency doesn't mean I can do everything as fast or as well. I am happy to say that I got the second sheet in flawlessly, and it looks good. Onto lessons needed: Trim Nailing, specifically shoe molding. I was driving 4D 1 1/2 bright finish nails with a 16oz Estwing hammer, and destroying a little over half of the nails involved. What was I doing wrong? To much hammer? A finer touch needed than for framing? I tried prenailing the molding, nailing after I put it in place, nothing made a difference. It either went right in with 3 or less hits, or it went in with three or more nails. What am I screwing up?

Hello Folks, I have been reading all of the groups comments whether they concern the group's intent or not. I have enjoyed Dale's off subject emails, and tonight I have to admit that I got a lot of education on the background of our leaders. I have been watching the war news very closely and since I seem to sleep by day and watch the tube by night I get news of the war almost as it happens. The news castors do not get a chance to modify the news for a sound bite nor does it get a chance prepare it's audience for what they are about to see and hear. It is news by the minute as it happens. This "News as it Happens" is to me very traumatizing and yet I know this trauma is not even 1/100 of the trauma that our troops overseas in the war are experiencing. I think we need to put some effort, if not, a lot of our efforts, into what we can do for our men and women serving our country. This bickering over who supports the war and/or our country or President does ***NOT*** do one iota to support our troops afar. These men and women are risking their lives so that we can continue to bicker publicly and not be punished for our ideas or thoughts. For this FREEDOM OF SPEECH we owe a great deal to those who are defending our way of life. These are not our "rights to speak", but rather the privileges provided to the individuals living within the United States which others have fought for so valiantly. Some of the men and women will not come home a live. Some are or will become POWs. Some will suffer injuries that will forever change their lives. All of them, including their loved ones will suffer great psychological damage that will never be reversed. I applaud all of you who are putting forth the effort to do something to ease the mental torture in their path. These men and women, families and those assisting them and taking care of them in the hospitals will need all the help they can get when they try to re-enter our society upon their return from the war. Some will not be so lucky to return a live and their loved ones will need help and assistance during the war as they attempt to adjust to their painful new reality. This bickering, in the end, will not help anyone. We are no longer deciding whether to go to war. We are now at war and that fact is a done deal. I hope that through the use of this "Do It Yourself" list that we will be able to share our skills and knowledge and that we might be able to use these skills to help someone else. In spite of our differing opinions I hope that we do not loose sight of our goal to work together as a team for the good of all. There are now and will be many more in the future that will need our help. Anne in Texas

Does any one have any idea why my dryer keeps breaking the breaker? Nothing else seems to do it, just my dryer. I've looked at the back and see nothing that may be causeing it. Thank you much. MC (getting tired of owning) Kent What governs men, is the fear of truth............Henri Frederick Amiel. Mercy imitates God, and disapoints satan..........St. John Chrysostom

I do indeed respect the opinion that MESCHI expressed in regards to the "Stand Up For America" piece which I had posted earlier, but let me explain to some extent my purpose. I spent nearly 15 years in the military much of which was either on isolated assignments in the North Atlantic or on long patrols on Missile Submarines, and I would have dearly loved to have had the opportunity to have been involved in the day to day task of fixing up a home. We have two sons directly involved in this conflict, one with the Air Force in Kuwait and the other is in the Army we know not where. They too are living for the days when they like ourselves will have the opportunity to buy and build or improve their own homes. I too hold our American values of freedom and the right to express ourselves in the highest regard and in fact gave up a good portion of my youth to that end, however I can not be nearly as tolerant of those who protest when their only agenda seems to be to protest our efforts to free an oppressed population. If they were to show the same fervor and passion in their efforts to free the oppressed and starving of the world from under the heels of the despots who are responsible for their condition I would be far more likely to heed and support their efforts. It would also be of some benefit it these people were to have something of substance to espouse except for a few tired and overworked socialistic slogans. Having said all that, I make no apologies for my opinions nor do I give a rats if others happen to be offended by them. I remember the piles of burning bodies in the death camps of WW2, the killing fields of Cambodia, the nearly 30 million that were slaughtered by Joseph Stalin, the untold millions in China that were given the choice of either starvation or the ingestion of a cyanide bill because they were deemed of no value by the Communist regime. With great wealth and great power comes great responsibility and thankfully we finally have a national leader that recognizes this fact, accepts the responsibility and "to Hell with the polls." As a parent I worry about my sons, but as an American, I Stand Proud. Dale in the Flat Lands

Andrea: Since you neither started this list, own the list or are a designated moderator, and if you are offended please use the delete key when you see any further posts from me and I will do the same for your benefit. As I stated earlier, if some are offended I could not care less, and in fact it is a sometime benefit to learn who it is that is probably not worth the effort in other times of endeavor. Dale in the Flat Lands

Good morning! I just received the daily digest of the recent posts to the group. I feel moved to say something that might not sit well with my fellow group members...for that let me apologize up front and ask your patience. I believe we live in an extrodinary country. We have by far more privileges than any other people on the planet. And the controversy that currently exists about war as a course of action is not a new one. It has existed since the inception of the concept of war. Both sides are correct from their view point. The freedoms our constitution guarantee each of us are the heart of our nation. America is advanced citizenship. As we claim the right of free speech...no matter which view we choose...we, as individuals, must remember that it is the responsibility of each of us to tolerate the view point of our counterparts with respect for their right to voice it. When we forget that those who disagree with the way we believe to be correct, we are no better than those our country is in conflict with. While I believe deeply we each have the right to express our opinions, I also believe as an American we do not have the right to make decisions for our fellow countrymen as to how they should think or act nor do I believe we have the right to censor their freedom of speech because they choose to exercise their right to speak what they believe to be the best way to handle the conflict. As an American, I choose to remember our young men and women who are standing for what they believe to be honorable and support them as best I can...by remembering that their courage and sacrifice at this time is the very vehicle that provides me the right to express my current view point. For that privilege, I am truly grateful. It is my humble opinion that this may not be the place to share such volitle topics. While this is the forum to discuss the rebuilding of our homes and various reconstruction techniques and materials, I ask you to consider whether or not this forum is the place to discuss the rebuilding of our country. I thank you for your patience and allowing me to say what I felt moved to say. MESCHI

The Shelby County Legislative Delegation (Alabama) hosted a "Stand Up for America Rally." More than 1,200 people attended including featured speakers Chief Justice Roy Moore, Adjutant General Mark Bowen and Alabama State Auditor Beth Chapman. Attached is a copy of Mrs. Chapman's speech, which resulted in five standing ovations, tremendous applause and an encore. It's a short read and well worth it. I hope you enjoy it as we continue to "Stand up for America!" By: Beth Chapman I'm here tonight because men and women of the United States military have given their lives for my freedom. I am not here tonight because Sheryl Crowe, Rosie O'Donnell, Martin Sheen, George Clooney, Jane Fonda or Phil Donahue, sacrificed their lives for me. If my memory serves me correctly, it was not movie stars or musicians, but the United States Military who fought on the shores of Iwo Jima, the jungles of Vietnam, and the beaches of Normandy. Tonight, I say we should support the President of the United States and the U.S. Military and tell the liberal, tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippy, tie-dyed liberals to go make their movies and music and whine somewhere else. After all, if they lived in Iraq, they wouldn't be allowed the freedom of speech they're being given here today. Ironically, they would be put to death at the hands of Sadam Husssein or Osama Bin Laden. I want to know how the very people who are against war because of the loss of life, can possibly be the same people who are for abortion? They are the same people who are for animal rights but against the rights of the unborn. The movie stars say they want to go to Iraq and serve as "human shields" for the Iraqis. I say let them buy a one-way ticket and go. No one likes war. I hate war! But the one thing I hate more is the fact that this country has been forced into war, innocent people have lost their lives - - and there but for the grace of God, it could have been my brother, my husband, or even worse my own son. On December 7, 1941, there are no records of movie stars treading the blazing waters of Pearl Harbor. On September 11, 2001; there are no photos of movie stars standing as "human shields" against the debris and falling bodies ascending from the World Trade Center. There were only policemen and firemen - -underpaid civil servants who gave their all with nothing expected in return. When the USS Cole was bombed, there were no movie stars guarding the ship - - where were the human shields then? If America's movie stars want to be human shields, let them shield the gang-ridden streets of Los Angeles, or New York City, let them shield the lives of the children of North Birmingham whose mothers lay them down to sleep on the floor each night to shelter them from stray bullets. If they want to be human shields, I say let them shield the men and women of honesty and integrity that epitomizes courage and embody the spirit of freedom by wearing the proud uniforms of the United States Military. Those are the people who have earned and deserve shielding! Throughout the course of history, this country has remained free, not because of movie stars and liberal activists, but because of brave men and women who hated war too. However, they lay down their lives so that we all may live in freedom. After all ? "What greater love hath no man, that he lay down his life for his friend," or in this case a country. We should give our military honor and acknowledgement and not let their lives be in vain. If you want to see true human shields, walk through Arlington Cemetery. There lie human shields, heroes, and the BRAVE Americans who didn't get on television and talk about being a human shield - they were human shields. I thank God tonight for freedom - - those who bought and paid for it with their lives in the past - - those who will protect it in the present and defend it in the future. America has remained silent too long! God-fearing people have remained silent too long! We must lift our voices united in a humble prayer to God for guidance and the strength and courage to sustain us throughout whatever the future may hold. After the tragic events of Sept. 11th, my then eleven -year-old son said terrorism is a war against them and us and if you're not one of us, then you're one of them. So in closing tonight, let us be of one accord, let us stand proud, and let us be the human shields of prayer, encouragement and support for the President, our troops and their families and our country. May God bless America, the land of the free, the home of the brave and the greatest country on the face of this earth!

Hello everyobdy. I'm leaning toward some home improvements, but I wonder if investing in this house is the right thing to do?

Every time I wash clothes, the toilet starts bubbling and water comes out from under the toilet, water starts fountaining out of the bathtub drain into the bathtub, and water comes out of the floor drain by my furnace (I have no basement). It always goes back down again. I tried Root Killer before...that worked for a few months but now the problem is worse. Roto Rooter came out here last year and lost a blade down my pipe, charged me full price and didn't even finish cleaning my drain. Is there anything I can do myself?

I have a door hinge that has come off the door. The screws on the door side have been stripped. What is the easiest way to fix this problem? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am sure this is an easy fix but I am a first time homeowner who is not a very handy person. Thanks in advance for the help. -Travis

Hi I need help asap!!! We need to buy a patio door to be installed this weekend! I need to know what is a good brand?? I heard Vinyl is bad? Any thoughts?? We go shopping tonight!! Corissa

Congratulations Trinity on your good fortune with the dryer. They delivered the Wife's new set this afternoon and the thought of not needing to negotiate those basement stairs threw her into a baking fit. Hot out of the oven Snicker-Doodles and ice cold milk, it just don't get any better than that. It kind of polished of an otherwise wet soggy day, especially since I was knee deep is the manure run off pit this morning getting a drainage pump set up. I was reminded this afternoon of an incident many years ago when the washer would not drain. No matter what was done there was always about two inches of water left in the bottom of the tub. I was just about to tear into the thing when I happened to notice that something about the row of littler holes in the bottom of the tub didn't look right. Sure enough, every one of those holes had a B-B in it and they made great little plugs. The "Boys" were promptly informed that they were not to put clothes in the wash with B-B's in the pockets. I'm afraid mother did not see the humor in the situation, and after all it is fear that rules the masses. Dale in the Flat Lands

Is it still necessary to buy all the shingles for a roofing project all at once to ensure that they will match? That is, do they still have to be manufactured at the same time with the same batch ID? Reason why I ask is that I'm about to re-roof my home and down the road I plan to build a two-car garage/workshop. When I get around to building that new structure, I'll want to be certain the shingles match my home's shingles. Jeffrey W. Frazier, Esq.* The Frazier Law Firm, LLC 171 Opal Drive Roswell, Georgia 30075-3730 770 993-0605 / Fax 770 642-4818 mailto:jwf46@... * Licensed in Georgia and Tennessee

I'm working on an addition to the house, 2 bedrooms and a bath. I'm going to be installing the windows this weekend. I have only installed remodel windows in the past where you screw threw the side of the window into the framing. These new construction window, Danvide (sp), have no predrilled holes and have a flange around the outside. Do I drill holes in the flange and screw threw it or what? Thanks Robert

Hi all, Just joined and reading through past discussions. Sounds like a great group! My fiance and I recently bought a home (near Santa Cruz, CA) and LOVE all the projects we are diving into. My fiance, especially, enjoys being a DIYer. He's taken to it like a duck to water and is building up his 'arsenal' of tools in the garage. I need some advice: See photos attached of our house. You see that ugly lower roof that hangs vertically? First of all, we HATE how it looks, and Secondly, we don't think it serves any function. The roof is new, only 2-3 years old, and the new gutters are placed above those wierd 'eaves' (what do you call that?) Anyways, we want to remove them....and I'm not sure if it's something simple and straightforward, or if we have to worry about damaging the integrity of the roof? Or??? When examining it, it seems we can simply "chop it off", so to speak. Please look at these photos, and if anyone is familiar with this kind of roof, or has removed it, I would LOVE to hear back! Thanks, Elaine

Today when I started to tie in the new water lines to move the wife's washer and dryer up out of the basement, it dawned on me that what I have always taken for granted may not be the case for others on the lists. I made up a blow-down adaptor long ago and use it all the time. Basically I purchased male and a female brass pipe to hose adaptors, then I put a quick connect that fits my air hoses into each one. I carry them screwed together and when ever I want to clear a water line or blow the water out of a hose so it won't freeze, I just select the adaptor I need and after it is attached either to an available water hydrant or hose, I apply the air and blow all the lines down stream clear. By opening faucets one at a time you can blow just about all of the water from all the lines in the house. It is also a good way to quick drain a hot water heater. Turn off the water to the house and apply air to the hot water connection at the washing machine and open the cold water in the tub. This will pressure up the water heater and blow the water right up the drop tube and down the drain. I always blow out the lines before trying to change a connection or addition. Just makes life a lot simpler. Dale in the Flat Lands

Does anyone have experience with caning? I am refinishing an old bed from the '20s that has sheet caning panels (the type of caning that comes in sheets from the factory, not the type where you have to sit there and weave every strand yourself!). I got a couple of books on caning from the library and they made it look oh, so easy .... But I am having big problems getting the spline out of the groove so I can put new sheet caning in. The spline is IN there for the ages! (That is the part that goes on top of the caning, down into the groove, holding everything in place.) Unfortunately I can't just leave the caning as is, since it has big gaping holes in it. I tried softening up the spline by applying vinegar, as one book recommended, with hardly any result. The other book said to use water to soften the spline but I am concerned that it will raise the grain on the wood around it, or possibly leave water stain marks. Any ideas on how to soften up the spline or any other ways to get it out of there? Thank you!! Ann

Hi. I'm able to cool my little house with one window air conditioner unit. Every year, I install and de-install the unit in the same window, which is a casement. As I get older and my bad back worsens, each year this becomes more difficult. I have a feeling that this year will be the last year I'll be able to horse that thing in and out of the window. I have seen window units in the windows of other houses that seem to live there all year, with covers on them. I'd love to learn how that works, how those windows with the units in them remain energy efficient all year round. Can you help? Thanks. Cats

Do not miss the opportunities of tomorrow, because you are brooding over the mistakes of yesterday. Dale in the Flat Lands

In a message dated 3/13/2003 6:25:43 PM Pacific Standard Time, nels@... writes: Just want to thank all of of you for your help and thoughts, don't remember who it was that told me to check my wire/trailer harness that I use to hook up a 3rd rear light when I'm not using a trailer. But I disconnected this and all my lights/signals are working again for now. I will install a new harness in the near future and see what happens then. Its almost fishing season and hopefully my boat trailer lights will work ... Thanks again, Marty

cabinet doors Aloha, I have just finished replacing the doors on my cabinets. I looked into cabinet refacing the DIY way with product sold at lowes hardware. They are custom made using your measuments. They even have a video. This cost ranges from 25.00 to 47.00 per door and about 15.00 per drawer front depending on wood type and finish. I was lucky enough to find mills pride at home depot. I used the method of measuring from the other company at lowes. Then found the doors my size in the excact finish that I wanted. It was a bit more confusing becaouse not all the doors have the same overlay becaouse some I could not find the excact size I needed. So I just ordered different hinges with a different overlay. I found cheaper hinges on the net. So shop around. I did not use the veneer stuff because I was worried about the quality. So I sanded and painted my wood framed cabinets. Over all I was very pleased. The mills pride was cheaper and also the bottom cabinets included the drawer fronts. Now I need to find some moldings and paint them to make it even better. I have over 29 doors and 13 drawer fronts. It all costed about 950.00 for the doors and hardware. I live in Hawaii so things are more expensive. Hope this helps, Stacy

In a few months I am going to pour a new concrete drive. I have seen a lot of concrete work around here (Salem OR) where the aggregate is exposed on the top. The stuff looks really nice and I figure that in the future I don't have to worry about the topcoat chipping off since it is not there. One guy told me sugar water is the secret to doing it. Does anybody out there know what the whole process is?

Hi all, I am getting ready to lay some tile down on my kitchen floor. Problem is: Everywhere I look for info on how to prepare the surface or what needs to be done is all about ceramic tile or marble tile.I admit to going the cheap way right now and using the vinyl tile with the sticky backs. I am beginning to feel like the poster child for cheap flooring. :-( Do you have any idea how to prep the surface for these and do I have to cover them with a sealer of some sort so they dont pull up? If you know of any web sites that have the info, that would be handy also. Thanks again for your help Tami "I wonder if losing your mind would show up on the scale as a loss."

hey, new to this group with a quick general question. I'm looking at purchasing a home that has an almost completely paved lot. One side I'd love to reclaim from the concrete, but how realistic is that as a do it yourself project (blacktop I wouldn't be so worried about). Any expereince or suggestions? Kahuna Burger

Yes its me again, I just noticed that the turn signals do not work when I put my foot on the brake, both right and left sides. As soon as I release my foot they work, any body have any ideas ... Thank you, Marty

I agree with Dales thoughts on tight fit houses. Under new laws here , new houses must be triple glazed. The fuel savings are to be admired , but the long term effects for the house are a worry. There is simply NO airflow. No such problems here at windy corner !! I will not put in double glazing let alone triple. This old house was designed for oak window frames. Kevin

Hi, Its great to see I'm not the only new face! Anyway....my husband & I are about to begin an extensive remodel & addition on our 1950 brick home!! We will be DIYing most of it, so its gonna take forever, but we love the challenge. I'm looking for tons of advise, tips, FYIs, anything!!! We break ground in spring for the addition. I've been keeping a log of ideas(with photos) a folder of quotes(like windows & cabinets) and brochures. These are a few things were brainstorming now, any advice would be great: shower doors: best $, where, how, etc Siding color: what goes best with red brick? Cabinets: go cheap now & upgrade down the road to stay in budget for now? Windows: who REALLY is the Best?? Patio Doors vs French Doors Thats enough for now. I look forward to talking with you all Corissa

Laurean: This is directed specifically at you but it is an FYI topic. The national scare involving Radon gas that was broached a few years ago is a direct out flow from the tight house craze that struck after the oil embargo of the early 70's. Radon gas is a result of the natural decay of radio active elements that are found in many parts of the nation especially locations with heavy clay bearing soils, basically black dirt country. The primary radio active elements found in clays and shale's are Uranium, Potassium and Thorium. Uranium is a water soluble and will migrate with he flow of liquids but the other elements will stay in place and as they deteriorate will cause the generation of radon gasses. This was never a perceived problem since it was in very small volumes, but when people started building houses that were little more then refrigerators with windows and doors the concentrations began to accumulate and create cause for concern. The newer homes are being built so tight and heavily insulated that there is no natural exchange of air with the outside and so the gasses accumulate, especially in basements, and can reach relatively high concentrations. You live in an area that does have heavy soils and while I understand your feelings that you need to have the house as tight as possible to reduce heating bills, there can be such a thing as too tight. Dale in the Flat Lands

...btw, I definitely did this ALL BY MYSELF...oh I take that back...my husband helped me use the table saw for 5 cuts ... --------- Jen, congratulations! I can just imagine how difficult it all was. I'm still looking at beginning a siimilar project, glad to know it's doable. I have a question. I've never operated any power saws. Is the table saw really that scary? Or hard to learn? I'd love to hear your experience with it. Thanks! Cats

Hi, everyone... I've been thinking about installing a soapstone countertop in my kitchen. Does anyone have any experience with this material? Any suggestions? I'd appreciate any advice, and thanks! :) Debby

In a message dated 3/7/03 8:41:55 PM Eastern Standard Time, rmcoleman@... writes: Hi Mike. My name is Lynn W., and I'm from Selbyville, DE. I am the worst painter in the world after trying to paint my daughter's room. LOL I can tell you though that my father in law paints for a living....for about 30 years now. He used to paint for the state in their hospital for slow/mentally challenged people for just about all that time. He has also done numerous side jobs and is getting ready to paint a snack factory plant....again. LOL He doesn't bother with paint sprayers at all. In his opinion, they don't do all that good of a job and they are a mess to clean up. He also said something to the fact that they don't last as long as they should either. Something about paint getting into the mechanical machinery part. :( I just thought you'd like the opinion of someone who has tried it and painted for years. Although, it is only one persons opinion. :) Lynn W.

All this discussion of plastic pipe bring the question of just what is the difference between the white PVC pipe and the tan CPVC pipe when used for supply lines in the house? I built a new house almost twenty years ago and used CPVC and have had no problems whatsoever. I recently bought a house built in the '50s which has galvanized pipe. I planned on using schedule 40 pvc to replace all the old iron pipe. Which pipe is my best choice? Thanks, Bob

I have a 1999 Ford Ranger and was wondering if anybody can help me. My turn signals are working then not working, then working etc etc. Both driver and passenger sides, do you think blubs need replacing, flasher( were is this located ) fuse( were is this located and do you know what number it is ) thank you for your help, Marty

Hello all, I'm Mike, my wife and I share this account ergo the wierd user name. I'm a home do it yerselfer, though I'm statrting my own home remodeling company, and I worked in residential fire sprinklers, and plumbing before getting a real job (DCFD). I trying to tech myself to get over my inherent hatered of painting, and eventually plan on learning how to use a spray gun, right now I do enough damage with rollers and brushes. Anyone here got any experience with economical paint sprayers? Mike

I really want to start to build some simple furnature - like some of the things they build on Trading Spaces or Room by Room. The 1st project Ide like to start with is a storage unit for our bsmt tv room. But Im gonna need to start looking for some tools. The only power tools I have now is a drill and a sawzall. I think I would need to eventually get a circular saw, a jig saw, and a nail gun. What should I know about buying these items? Which would you buy 1st? What else do you think I would need? Tia, Brenda Denver, CO

Do you need to remove it or just paint over it? If you want to paint over it, sand it a bit, then try a coat of Binn (Zinnser) primer - don't use kilz. See if that sticks. Liz

Hi, I have had a great time reading through the posts - this seems like a great group. I am in the process of renovating a 100 yo Craftsman and now need to replace the water supply pipes. There is a leak somewhere in the line (water bill doubled in one billing cycle) and there is little water pressure if more than one faucet is in use. The current pipes are a maze of copper and galvanized steel. I am replacing from the street box to each faucet. The current design is pretty poor - there are no shutoff valves (imagine how excited I was to discover that as the toilet line broke) except for the main box in the street, and there are so many 90 degree angles it is difficult to follow a line from begining to end. It also takes more than a minute for the hot water to turn hot. I am wondering if anyone has ideas, tip, or thoughts as to the best design. I have seen book refer to a manifold system, using multiple tankless hot water heaters, etc.. Currently, there are two baths, a kitchen, laundry, and outside bibs. In the future, I will be adding a second floor with two baths. I a planning on using CPVC, with 1 in coming in from the street to 3/4 in main lines right to the faucets, except the toilets who will get 1/2 in. The only experience I have with this is installing new CPVC piping to fix the previously mentioned toilet dilema. It worked out well so i am ready to move to bigger tasks. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have been in a nervous quandary all afternoon, since it is snowing and everything is covered with a layer of ice. I'm stuck in the house and until just this moment was at a complete loss as to what I might write about, then it struck me, since I'm getting ready to replace all the sewer lines in our basement, why not. PVC has made it possible for the DIY inclined individual to do much of their own plumbing, but as the size of the lines increases there are a few simple tricks that will serve the prudent weekend plumber well. Number one on the list is to "make a list" along with a rudimentary drawing of your plan, especially in the case of the sewer lines, since certain necessary items within the house are going to be temporarily out of service. Unless of course you happen to live out in the country and have a substantial number of large trees to go behind. It is my personal recommendation that each drain have its own independent inlet into the main sewer line. A typical home with a single bath will have more needs than you might think. There will be the kitchen sink/dishwasher combination, stool, lavatory, tub or shower, washer, sump pumps (if you have a basement and don't have a sump bump, make an allowance for one now), AC condensate, water softener, RO unit, and the list grows from there, in our case there is also a feed & bleed from the boiler. Some of these might be combined like the condensate, RO unit and water softener, just be sure to put in a P trap or you won't like the smell. It's not a bad idea to combine the RO, or something else with the AC drain since it is not used in the winter months and when the P trap dries out this is often the source for sewer gas which is sucked right into the furnace blower and spread throughout the house. Don't forget to include the vents or sluggish drains will be the result. I always start at the unit that is furthest from the sewer outlet and start putting everything together dry (as in without glue) being sure to tap all the connections together tightly with a plastic mallet. This is important because when you put the glue on the points they will go together a little further than you might think and over a run of several connections you will find that you are off quite a bit. It is also a good idea to start putting in the perforated straps that are going to support the lines, making sure that you have the proper drop on the line before it is glued. Good straight cuts are very important and I use my power miter saw to cut and trim the lines. Once everything in one area is aligned and fitted, I then put mechanical marks on every joint with a felt tip pen and after taking everything apart, start gluing it all together, carefully lining up all the marks. While you can bend the smaller water lines a little to make them line up, with the larger 4" sewer lines, when they are glued there is no such leeway available. P traps for drains from washers, sump pumps and some others can be constructed using a series of L's and street L's just don't try this with the lavatories or the tub, since you may need to periodically take them apart to clean out the hair and soap scum that builds up. Speaking of L's, for Pete's sake on the smaller drain lines, don't use those square corner L's meant for water lines but use the sweep L's made just for sewer applications. In the case of T's us the sweep T's and point the sweep down stream, and don't forget a few clean outs, saves a lot of bad language later on. If your home like mine was originally plumbed with cast iron, cut the cast six to eight inches from the floor or wall, and use a rubber coupler which is made to adapt cast to plastic. The cast can be cut with a saw-z-all but I prefer to use a guide block and go around the cast with the side grinder. Once everything is securely glued, hung and clamped, you are back in business and better then new. If in doubt, buy a couple of extras, one of your neighbors will need one sooner or later. Dale in the Flat Lands

My wife and I are now empty nesters and rarely use our swimming pool. I have been thinking about reclaiming the backyard with hardscape by getting rid of the pool. I want to replace it with a hot tub which would get a lot more use. I am a real novice, so if any one has an idea/experience on what is in involved in "filling in" an in ground pool" I would appreciate it. Thanks

Does anyone have a recommendation for a really effective furniture stripper? I have been using 3M's Safer Stripper to get the paint off a wooden furniture suite from the 1920's, and the stuff is just NOT coming off. The Safer Stripper takes a good 24 hours to soften the top coat of paint, then I scrape that ... and the bottom layer of paint is still intact (though of course not completely intact, or I would just call it good and paint over that). So I am looking for something a little more effective. I tried the Safer Stripper in the first place because I tend to react badly to fumes (even in my backyard), but this stuff is just not cutting the mustard. Any suggestions gladly accepted! Thanks! Ann

If this dissertation appears to wonder off topic before I am finished, don't be alarmed since that is what I have intended to do from the beginning. But since this forum is intended to be a learning experience and there are those who own and raise animals in this group, stay with me and I will finally lead to the subject at hand. There is what would seem to be a miracle that takes place in the first few hours of life in every species of lactating mammal. As most builders and many DIY individuals already know, the most important part of any construction project is the foundation. Back in the days when large homes and buildings were set on stone foundations, it was common practice to dig the footings and set the foundation several months and in some cases a year or more before construction was scheduled to commence. This allowed for time so the massive stones could settle under their own weight so that the added weight of the intended structure would set upon a stable base and thus stay straight and true over the years to come. I'm often amazed to see how square many buildings that have sat for over a hundred years or more still are. In this day of computers and all the ills that befall them, wouldn't it be nice if you could place a new machine beside an older more experienced model and as soon as you turned it on the new machine it would learn from the other all the characteristics of the viruses and other ills that it might encounter in its first days and months of service. I know that a lot of this information is contained in the libraries of anti virus programs like Norton's and others, but what if it was done automatically? Something similar to this happens each time you turn on your machine and it bootstraps into its operating system all the associated parameters of the various devices that have been connected to it over time. Hang on just a bit more, for this wondering trail of analogies I am traversing will hopefully finally get to the point. As many if not most of you know, I work with cattle every day and have bred and/or raised several species and varieties over the years, in fact when all of our 8 children were in their younger years I sometimes wondered whether we might have kept and/or sold the wrong ones, but that is another subject. We have all seen or read accounts of how those who had all the amenities that life might offer were brought to grieve by the sickly condition of their children, and have you ever noticed that very often children that seem to have come from homes that don't appear to own or know what soap is for are the healthiest. I had observed and pondered these things for years until the events of the last several years made the answer seem obvious, to me at least. If you were to take blood samples from most of us who live and work in these rural communities you would probably find that the majority of us are carrying the antibodies related to Anthrax and other uncommon diseases since it is a part of the cattle population and is often floating in abundance in the dust of the air that we breath. The opposite is true of those who live in the sterile environments of many of our homes and cities and consequently when they come in contact with these unfamiliar organisms they immediately fall ill. I suppose you might say that although, cleanliness might be next to Godliness, too much Godliness could be detrimental to your health. Now to the miracle and how in some ways we may have moved away from its benefits and are now paying the price. Within the colostrums that are produced in the first lactation of a mothers milk is a copy of every antibody that is in the mother's system. How many generations back this may go is not to my knowledge known, but it could conceivably go back through having been passed down from mother to daughter for centuries. The second part of this miracle is the stomach lining of every newborn, for during the first 24 to 36 hours of life the antibodies within the colostrums are able to pass through the stomach wall directly into the blood stream and thus passing on to the newborn the immunities of the mother. After this period, the lining in effect seals off and any future antibodies can only be developed through exposure to the offending organism, as in vaccinations, or some childhood diseases that render the individual seemingly immune after the first occurrence of the disease. During the past century or so it was considered socially prudent that many new mothers not nurse their newborns and these babies were either immediately given artificial mothers milk or in the cases of the affluent in the 19th century they were handed off to a wet nurse, another lactating female who was hired my the family for the occasion, and was not consequently producing the colostrums the child would need. I have observed and wondered for years if our extreme efforts that are given to cleanliness, and the movement away from nursing mothers has not broken the established chain of immunities within our society, leaving untold thousands vulnerable to any and all diseases. Some recent research would seem to indicate that this is in fact the case, and perhaps this is part of the reason for the recent popularity in the return of nursing mothers. In cattle and other forms of mammals that are raised for food or profit, it is common to keep a supply of milk that contains the colostrums of the herd in the freezer so that in the case of the loss of the mother the new born will still get the first milk needed. I realize that some might be offended by being compared to cattle or other lower forms of life, but if you've ever been to an after Christmas sale at Wal-Mart, you might have seen some similarities. Dale in the Flat Lands

Hi all, We're preparing to get a self-installed water softening system and are trying to educate ourselves (starting from zero knowledge). I've searched the group's archives, files and links and don't see info. Google returns so many hits it's impossible to find anything useful. So... Does anyone have info on water softeners? Would appreciate any links, advice or suggestions. Thanks a lot, Renée -- Thinking too much about what used to be makes you partly absent from this world.

I though I'd take a few minutes and enumerate a few of my pet peeves on the subject of wiring, in the hopes that the solutions offered might keep someone out there from awaking to the late night surprise of a house fire. If you have in mind to do some of your own wiring in your shop, garage, or home, do yourself a favor and go buy a few good Kline tools. These tools are a bit expensive but they will last you a lifetime and they are made just for wiring. The first tool is a pair of side-cutters, blue plastic covered handles. You will notice right away that the end jaws do not come completely together, and there is a reason for that. They are made just for the purpose of grabbing and twisting wires together. The second tool is a pair of needle nose pliers, yellow plastic covered plastic handles, and the third is a pair of diagonal cutters, red plastic covered handles. Now you can save that pair of water pump pliers for building fence, though I even use my Kline's for that as well. Oh, and the colored handles are so you don't need to teach the wife or the kids the names of the tools, as long as they aren't color blind they can hand you just the one you need. I wish I had a nickel for every time I've opened up a junction box and found that the insulation was hard and brittle about an inch back from the wire nuts. This is a classic indication of a poor connection that has been getting warm from current draw. The solution is for the electrician to waste a little wire by peeling the insulation back a good inch on each conductor and twisting the wires together (clockwise just like the wire nut is going on) and trimming the end before putting on the wire nut. Also, go ahead and splurge and buy a few blue and gray wire nuts for those instances when you have more than three number 12's to be spliced. The next peeve is opening a box and finding that the wires are so short you can hardly get them out to work with. Each lead should be 6 inches and if you think you're going to have more wires then will fit into a standard box, spend the extra 29 cents and put in a deep 4" junction box, and oh yes, put the cover on when you're finished. You will also find that the longer leads are much easier to twist down into a neat coil in the box. You know the four nice little holes that are in the backside of each new duplex receptacle, the ones that you can push the bare end of the wire into so you don't need to be bothered to put them under the screws that are just put there for decoration? Well forget you ever saw them and go ahead and take the few extra minutes to make a good mechanical connection by bending a loop in each wire and putting it under the screw. Just remember to put the loop so that the end is to the right or clockwise side of the screw so that it doesn't want to back out when you tighten down. Next, is that neat little pair of wire strippers that you picked up at Radio Shack, you know the ones I mean, they look like a pair of pliers with a set of holes just for cutting and stripping wire. Well they are just fine for the stranded wire that you might use to add that custom set of flashing lights to the running boards of your new Peterbilt, but they will cause you to have unkind thoughts if you use them to strip solid copper conductors. Why you ask, well eventually you will knick the copper right at the point where you cut the insulation and it will break off as clean as elm branch in an ice storm. Go ahead and break out grandpa's jack knife and carefully slice and peel the insulation then bend the remaining insulation back and cut it off. You won't knick the wire and you won't loose your sense of humor looking for an open wire when the job is done. It helps to keep it sharp, and after you've sliced your thumb a couple of times, you'll get the hang of it. Finally, or at least until I happen to think of something else, I know the manufacture knew that a screw in only two corners of the breaker box would hold the cover on but go ahead and humor me and put them all back in anyway. If you think I'm sounding a bit sarcastic this evening, well I warned you at the beginning when I said these were pet peeves. Dale in the Flat Lands

what is blow-in insulation Dina

Hello, can anyone give me any tips on the best ways to remove plaster from brand new pine skirting boards? I did not have time to varnish it for some protection before the workman came to plaster the walls.

This afternoon the ice storm in my area (Central NC) brought down my beloved red bud tree. It just fell down flat under the weight of icecle with the root ball completely exposed. Not much structural damage to the tree itself. This tree is about 15 years old but not a big tree at all...only about 10" trunk diameter, height:12'. I think I can pull it up-right with two helpers. Any suggestions in how to revive this beatiful tree,other than cutting it down? NEED help quick because I want to do it ASAP! Thanks, Gadget K

Back when I was learning the art of residential and commercial wiring I had a tyrant for a teacher. The fact that he was my cousin did not help me a bit, he had some iron-clad rules that have served me very well over the years. The final appearance of a wiring job is each electrician's signature, just as sure as if he had signed his name to the end product. I've seen far too many service entrances and breaker boxes that I absolutely dreaded going into, they were virtual rats nests. I recall one instance when the building inspector came out to give approval on a service that I was changing out and he casually mentioned that he had been on one of my other jobs a few days earlier. When I asked where it was and he gave me the address, I asked how he knew it was mine. His answer made me proud when he stated that I was the only electrician in the city that left his breaker panels and wire runs looking like they were intended to be passed on by a Mil-Spec inspector. On breaker panels, I always bring each hot feed in so that it goes to the bottom of the box and then loops back to the top breaker. This is done so that breakers or circuits can be relocated if necessary and any circuit can be attached to any breaker in the box. All of my feeds are bundled in a neat bundle down each side and when finished I put a couple of tie-wraps around the bundle. The same is true of the neutrals, and the bonds, making sure that they are neatly bundled, especially the bonds so that a re-entry into the panel can not cause a stray bare bond to get against a live breaker or buss. If the breaker box is installed in a basement, and if possible, I drill a hole through the basement floor for the ground rod, so that the ground buss is as short as possible and also protected from weather and mechanical damage, otherwise it is placed as close to the foundation as possible. I never ground to a water line because it is just as likely as not to be plastic on the other side of the wall, and of course grounding to a gas line is a NO-NO. When running romex in areas where it will be visible, as in a basement or an attic, it is laid flat and straight with the lettering showing the full length of the run. bends in the romex are made neat and in the case of several exposed runs on a common beam or joist they are laid parallel. If the runs are to be buried through the joists so that the surface is left flat for later finishing of a basement ceiling, I drill 1" or larger holes in straight lines and take the spirals out of the romex as it is pulled through, being careful to staple each run at the point where it exits the run to travel along a joist. Holes are drilled far enough from the bottom and top of each joist so that there will be no danger of piercing wiring with nails during later construction. Staples are placed about every 18 inches and in the case of parallel runs they are stapled at about the same point. I like to use 1" staples instead of the shorter variety, don't smash nearly as many thumbs. When rewiring older homes, I set a deep 4" round for each receptacle circuit and then run a spider feed rather than trying to daisy-chain receptacles. This takes a little more wire, but wire is relatively cheap. Boxes are mounted on the sides of joists rather then being mounted on the bottom edge, once again just in case someone wants to finish off a ceiling later they don't need to move or strap around a bunch of boxes. Junction boxes are mounted using sheet metal screws rather than nails. A lot of waste can be avoided if wire is purchased on either 500 or 1000 foot spools and the wire comes off the spool straight as well instead of looking like a mangled slinky toy. Dale in the Flat Lands

Here is some information many home owners might want to make a print of for future reference. Dale in the Flat Lands Maximum distance in feet of various guage two conductor copper wire from power source to load for 2% voltage drop in a 12 volt system. Do not exceed the 2% drop for wire between PV modules and batteries. A 4 to 5% loss is acceptable between batteries and lighting circuits in most cases. 2% Voltage Drop Chart Amps #14 #12 #10 #8 #6 #4 #2 #1/0 #2/0 #4/0 1 45 70 115 180 290 456 720 . . . 2 22.5 35 57.5 90 145 228 360 580 720 1060 4 10 17.5 27.5 45 72.5 114 180 290 360 580 6 7.5 12 17.5 30 47.5 75 120 193 243 380 8 5.5 8.5 11.5 22.5 35.5 57 90 145 180 290 10 4.5 7 11.5 18 28.5 45.5 72.5 115 145 230 15 3 4.5 7 12 19 30 48 76.5 96 150 20 2 3.5 5.5 9 14.5 22.5 36 57.5 72.5 116 25 1.8 2.8 4.5 7 11.5 18 29 46 58 92 30 1.5 2.4 3.5 6 9.5 15 24 38.5 48.5 77 40 . . 2.8 4.5 7 11.5 18 29 36 56 50 . . 2.3 3.6 5.5 9 14.5 23 29 46 100 . . . . 2.9 4.6 7.2 11.5 14.5 23 150 . . . . . . 4.8 7.7 9.7 15 200 . . . . . . 3.6 5.8 7.3 11 Maximum Ampacity for Copper and Aluminum Wire Wire Size Copper Aluminum 14 25 . 12 30 25 10 40 35 8 55 45 6 75 60 4 95 75 2 130 100 1 150 115 1/0 170 135 2/0 265 150 4/0 360 205 NEC allows rounding up cable ampacity to next standard fuse or breaker.

Hello everyone. Great group you have going here. Painting question. First time painting wood. Should you use a primer before painting. I am going to be boring and use plain white. Built some shelves in my kids closet to hold all their cloths. Twin girls age 10 LOTS OF CLOTHES. LOL Oh yeah, latex or enamel paint or some other kind of paint. What is the best to use? Thanks, Tom

Jumping in a little late here: Since I'm an insulation neophyte, the idea is that you get a great machine, drill holes in your walls, and the machine squirts insulation into the walls. Then you patch the holes. Do you have to do this between each joist? How much do you put into the cavity? (that probably sounds like a dumb question, but....) My 80 year old brick Bungalow has a number of "cold spots" in the walls (I've already described the closet issue). Since I'm not about to tear off the brick, nor am I about to tear down the lathe and plaster inside, this is probably my best solution, but I'm trying to figure out exactly what the process entails. We've also got an unfinished attic. Can we blow the insulation into the floor (first floor ceiling) as well, or do we need to tear up the floorboards and use batting? Thanks, Jeanne

Siding can be removed to blow in insulation. you dont have to remove all the siding to do this. what kind of siding do you have on this house?

After reading all the hoops some out there have to jump through just to build as they would wish on land that they own, I'm very happy that I still live in the back wash of Kansas. Out here on the plains we can still build pretty much as we please, as long as what we construct doesn't bring unbearable hardship on our neighbors, who by the way are usually at least 1/2 mile down the road. I happen to live in town at the present but we are still pretty much left alone as long as we don't get too close to the property lines. If you are considering building with brick, I would recommend that enough extra brick be purchased at the time of construction to face one extra room. Even if you never intend to add on to the home, you might wish to build walls or planters at some later date, or find the need to replace areas that have been damaged. Brick is almost impossible to match once a given production run has been used up. It is also a sellers advantage if they can point to a couple of pallets of bricks still neatly stacked at the rear of the property. The extra bricks will weather and age so that they will be a near perfect match years later. FYI I personally would never build with brick, but that is just a personal preference. Mainly because, what you see's is what you're stuck with. Dale in the Flat Lands

Oh my gosh! Bev, I was expecting maybe a Bob or Bill to be signing your introduction. WOW! Welcome to the list! Laurean in Iowa

Hi, I never heard of ' ubuildit ' but then I am far away. I can tell you this though. We have similar franchise companies here. I know of one guy that formed his own rental place. He will hire out small items right up to sand blasters and cherry pickers. He is a canny fellow. All his rental equipment is stuff he bought secondhand. He looked into taking on a franchise , but dismissed it as a ' losers game ' ...his words....... He has ex army diggers , like new. Generators again army. Everything is painted in his company colours , blue and yellow. Bankrupt stock is his thing. He spends two days a week out buying at auctions. His approach is simple. Why buy new equipement , when it looks secondhand within a month. The average renter is not interested if its one month old or three years old. He just wants it to work. For less that the normal franchise' buy' in , he has a very nice operation going on. He just undercuts the big boys on price by a little , but not a lot. He managed to get a bank loan without to many problems , as his purchase price for all the gear was low and close to the ' real ' value. He has been going for three years , and now has three stores. He never rents out to companies , only private DIY folk. He reckons its not worth renting to companies as they will want a deal on the price ,and usually want new stuff........and it come back broken anyway. Kevin Wallonia

When remodeling a bathroom and replacing the fiberglass tub/shower surround, what is the easiest way to remove it? Thanks, Allison www.renovatorsplace.com